Bowen puts Nauru on table to break asylum deadlock

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says the Federal Government is willing to consider sending asylum seekers to Nauru to break the political deadlock over offshore processing.

More than a week ago the Government wrote to the Opposition requesting a meeting to try to break the deadlock over the processing of asylum seekers.

The Opposition rejected the request, saying it wanted a written proposal before agreeing to a meeting.

The Government has now sent a proposal to Opposition, and Mr Bowen says all options are on the table if the Coalition is prepared to pass legislation unamended that will allow the Malaysia people swap deal to proceed.

However the Government's letter says it will not reinstate temporary protection visas.

"In addition as a complement to the Malaysia agreement, we are happy to engage with the government of Nauru to see if a processing centre can be developed on Nauru," he said.

"We do this for one simple reason: in the spirit of compromise, the Liberal Party say they have concerns about Malaysia, we have concerns about Nauru, but the time for yelling at each other about this issue has stopped.

"The Labor Party and the Liberal Party should come together and say there is nothing humanitarian about a system which says to people you have to risk your life on a boat to get to Australia."

The Government hopes the concession will finally bring Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to the negotiating table.

Until now Mr Abbott has refused to give ground on his demands and said he would not agree to talks until the Government put something in writing.

With the Greens vehemently opposed to offshore processing, the Government is still hoping it can strike a compromise deal with the Opposition as that is the only way it could get the necessary legislation through the Senate.

"Mr Abbott can try as many times to go out searching for yet another reason to say no," he said.

"He wants a letter, he wants parameters, he wants to meet with a particular person. He wants to wait till Christmas Day.

"We just need to get in a room, have the conversation and fix this."

Even if the Government can strike a deal with the Opposition and if that involves Nauru, it will have to answer questions from the Left faction who spoke out strongly against the Malaysia plan and offshore processing.

One senior parliamentarian told The World Today he was not aware of any senior person in the Left pushing for Nauru, but another acknowledged the latest tragedy had sparked a shift in sentiment.

The MP said the Government's willingness to consider Nauru is a sign Mr Bowen was testing the water in both the Coalition and the Government's own ranks.